Vehicle-wheel.



wifgesses 4 No. 739,188. PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903.

A. B. KERN. 4 VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED KAY 13, 1903.

vN0 MODEL.

@IZWM el lfergzys Patented September 15, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED B. KERN, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

VEHlCLE-WHEEL.

$PECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 739,188, dated September15, 1903.

Application filed May 13,1903. fierial No. 156,990. (No model.) I

To all whom itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, ALFRED B. KERN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jackson, in the county of Jackson and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Vehicle- Wheel, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to vehicle-wheels of the class having yieldablerims and employed more particularly upon automobiles and similarvehicles and on bicycles and the like, and has for its object tosimplify and improve devices of this character and to producea wheelwhich will efiectually resist deflection under the normal load, butwhich will yield in event of the wheel meeting obstructions or whensubjected to jars and concussions and absorb and distribute the abnormalvibrations thereby produced and prevent their transmission to thevehicle-body.

The invention consists,primarily,in a wheel formed with an inner rim, anouter rim spaced from the inner rim, and spaced springs interposedbetween the rims and subjected before insertion to compressionsufficient to cause them to resist deflection under normal load.

The invention further consists in a wheel formed with an inner rim, anouter rim spaced ,from said inner rim, springs interposed between saidrims, and flexible cover members between said rims and covering forprotecting said springs.

Other novel features of the invention will appear in the annexeddescription and be pointed out in the claim following.

In the drawingsillustrativeof the invention, in which correspondingparts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of a portion of one of the improved wheels with the sidecovering partly removed to show the interior of the rim' construction.Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail illustrating the constructionmore fully. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detailillustrating amodification in the construction.

Theimproved wheel may be employed upon any of the various makes ofautompbiles and similar vehicles and the various makes of bicycles andcomprises an inner rim 10, connected to the hub 11 by spokes 12, therim,.

spokes, and hub being of any approved form and of any suitable material,and I do not,

therefore, wish to be limited to any specific form of hub and spokes orto anyspecific form of inner rim, so long as it is capable of containinga plurality of spaced apertures 13, as shown.

The rim 10 may be of wood or metal or any suitable material, providedwith a plurality of spaced cavities 13, each cavity having a follower 14placed therein, and opposite each follower the rim 12 is provided with asetscrew 15, operating against the follower and adapted to forciblyadjust it in its cavity, as will be obvious.

Encircling the inner rim and spaced therefrom is an outer rim 16,preferably in the form of a steel band, and between the outer rim andthe follower-plates are strongly-compressed springs 17, of relativelylarge gage of wire, as indicated.

The springs being of relatively large gage will when strongly compressedofier a correspondingly strong resistance to deflection and willtherefore sustain the normal load of the vehicle without deflection. Bythis means the vehicle will move under ordinary conditions withoutafiecting the springs; but in event of obstructions being encounteredthe springs will yield and absorb the jars incident to such concussionsand prevent their communication to the vehicle-body or the rider if thewheel is employed upon a bicycle or similar vehicle. Any suitable meansmay be employed for compressing the springs before being insertedbetween the spaced rims; but as this forms no part of the presentinvention it is not illustrated. By this means a relatively rigidyieldable wheel is produced which will be sustained against deflectionfrom the ordinary movements of the vehicle and will therefore entirelyobviate the unparatively thin band 16 from contact with stonesand otherhard substances.

Between the rims 10 and 16 are disposed flexible protecting-strips 2O21, which not only cover and protect the springs from dust and moisture,but likewise hide the springs from view and cause the wheel to present aneat and finished appearance.

The form of structure shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 will be employed moreparticularly upon automobiles and similar vehicles; but when employedupon bicycles and the like the set-screws 15 and follower-plates 14 maybe dispensed with, as they are not required in such vehicles and addsomewhat to the weight. When employed upon bicycles and similarvehicles, also the inner ends of the springs may be held in place bystuds 22 extending from the rim 16, as shown.

The improved wheel may be of any size and adapted to any size or weightof vehicle.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 7 Y A vehicle-wheelcomprising an inner rim having spaced cavities in the periphery thereof,set-screws tapped through said rim and projecting into said cavities,follower-plates disposed in said cavities in front of said setscrews, anouter rim having spaced studs on the inner face of its periphery, andspiral springs arranged between said rims with one end engaging saidstuds and the other end disposed within said cavities and engaged bysaid follower-plates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED B. KERN.

WVitnesses:

M. L. PEREGO, E. L. PEREGO.

